PENNINE Telecom of Bury has signed an important deal with UK distributors TNT to manage the company's fleet of two-way radios.

The company, based in the town's Salford Street, had provided TNT with a large number of radios but the firm was having to spend a large amount of time on administration, particularly involving the Radio Communications Agency licences.

Richard Evans, Pennine's director of radio sales and marketing, said: "TNT was having to deal with a large quantity of monthly invoices for the radios as well as having to manage its radio fleet."

After evaluating the radio fleet, a contract was negotiated to take the radios into a managed contract. Pennine now hire TNT the radios and manage the Radio Agency licence for them, including payment.

"If a fault is reported, TNT send the unit back to us and we repair it or replace it within two working days," added Richard.

"The benefit of the managed contract has been reduced cost and administration along with the transfer of the logistical management of the radio fleet to Pennine."

He explained: "Managing radios is not the core competence of TNT's distribution.

Pennine' competence is managing radios. It should be realised that the radios are merely a tool for the job so that TNT can get on with doing what they do best: distribution and logistics."

Paul Beedell, TNT's group telecoms manager, said: "We are very pleased with the new arrangement. Pennine has taken away all our administrative headaches as well as reducing costs."